Apparatus for making and laying protective concrete coverings.



A. c. CHENOWETH.

APPARATUS'FOR MAKING AND LAYING PROTECT ONCRETE COVERINGS.

APPLICATION HLEp DEC. :3,

1,187,503. Pat dJune 20,1916.

' SHEETSSHEET I.

TIVAY L/M A. S x

' z-u I w AVAVA WITNESSES:

A. c. CHENOWETH. APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND LAYING PROTECTIVE CONCRETE COVERINGS- APPLICATION FILED DEC- IB, T914.

Patented June 20, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTCR WITNESSES: I

ATTORNEY TMB WLUMHIA PLANOGEAPM 110., WASHINGTON, n. C.

A. C. CHENOWETH.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND LAYING PROTECTIVE CONCRETE COVERTNGS- APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, 1914.

1 1 87,503 Patented J un 20, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- .1 n A I ///f /II////7// WTTNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY FEED %TATE% P ALEXANDER CRAWFORD GHENOWETH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Original application filed July 10, 1913, Serial No. 778,291.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CRAW- FORD Crrnivownrn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, county and State of New York, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making and Laying Protective Concrete Coverings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to concrete or cement construction and it refers to apparatus for making and depositing reinforced slabs in the places where they are laid, such for instance as river beds, embankments, levees, irrigation ditches, roads and the like, in order to protect the surface at such points against the erosion caused by floods and the action of the river.

The present application is a division of my application for Letters Patent filed July 10, 1913, Serial No. 778,291.

I have illustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a view in cross-section of a portion of one of my improved reinforced protective slabs, the section being taken in a plane at right angles to the ridges formed in the reinforcing device. Fig. 2 is a similar view to that of Fig. 1, but with the plane of the section taken through the slab at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of my improved reinforcing device or fabric. In this construction the mesh of the reinforcing netting is triangular shaped and the ridges or elevations are parallel with each other. Fig. is a perspective view on a reduced scale of a portion of a river, and shows the river bank and bed as covered with my improved reinforced revetment,and with a portion of the revetment which lies out of the water, broken away, in order to show the particular location of the reinforcing fabric or netting. Fig. 5 is a similar view to that shown in Fig. 4;, but with the ridges in the reinforcing wire-netting arranged diagonally instead of running sub stantially at right angles to the slope of the ground. Fig. 6 is an enlarged crosssectional view of the slabs shown in Fig. 4, and in which the mesh of the netting is shown as rectangular shaped. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a river showing a float or platform upon which has been made one of my improved reinforced Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 19,16. Divided and. this application file rl December Serial No. 877,902.

slabs, which, in plasticcondition, is to be removed from the float and placed in position on the river bed beneath the water. The right hand end of the reinforced slab shown in this view has projecting from the edge thereof, the end of the reinforcing sheet of wire-netting, and the lower right hand corner of the slab is partly broken away. Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the reinforcing slab shown in ig. 7, and with one edge broken away. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a river, and shows the bank above the water line as lined with the protective rein forced slabs of material and with a protective slab being dropped from the float on which it has been made, into position in the water, and with a fresh section of the reinforcing netting connected with one end of the plastic slab in the operation of buildingan extension of the slab to increase its length. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of a river showing a temporary platform rigged in operative position upon the exposed portion of the bank and overhanging the water, and on which platform has been made one of my improved reinforced protective sections, prior to transferring the same from the platform to the bed of the river beneath the water.

Referring to the drawings,in which like numbers of reference designate like parts throughout, 1 indicates the embankment or levee of a river, 2 the bed and 3 the water in the river. The embankment 1, is continuously covered over a sufliciently wide area with a series of protective reinforced sections or slabs 4, while a correspondin portion of the river bed 2, immediately a joining the bank at the water line is likewise covered with a series of the connected protective slabs 5, thereby providing a substantially unbroken smooth protective coating for the earth at the places specified. This protective coating is installed by constructing the slabs or coverings one at a time, those which cover the exposed river bank may be made directly upon the ground by, first cleaning the ground and properly sloping and grading it, and then placing directly upon it a suitably shaped sheet of steel wire-netting 6, which is formed with parallel bends or ridges 7, which in the preferred form run substantially at right angles to the slope of the ground as indicated herein. After the V adjoining the last bentgwire-netting is placed in position directly on the ground, concrete 8, is then placed upon it in plastic condition, so as to fill all of the cavities formed by the bends upon the upper and lower'sides of the netting, the thickness of the layer required be-" ing previously determined by the aggregate height of the bends upon opposite sides of the neutral axis. The concrete is then rammed and tamped to make it compact and to even its surface, and it is then left to harden. By this construction, the crimped and deformed'wire-netting is completely embedded in the concrete and the particular shape of the netting brings each of the wires into its proper relative position each side of the neutral axis, so as forcement, each wire becoming either a compression member or a tension member. In addition to the bent wire serving as a truss within the body of concrete, it also acts as a receptacle or form by means of which the plastic concrete, when placed upon the wirenetting, is retained in place and may set or harden without becoming displaced, even though the construction of the reinforced section takes place upon steep inclines of ground. I prefer to have the ridges 7, extend in a direction substantially at right angles to the slope, and as indicated in several of the figures, but the ridges may run in a diagonal direction if preferred.

- In placing the protective sectionsfi, upon the bank, as soon as one has been completed, the adjoining one is begun by placing a sheet of wire-netting 6, on the ground immediately made section, so as to bring the abutting edges of the sheets of wire-netting together, and if preferred, they may be fastened manner, or overlapped, so that when the concrete is packed upon the freshly laid sheet of wire-netting it may be made to coverthe joint between the adjoining sheets of the wire-netting. In this way a continuous and unbroken lining is formed directly upon the river bank, and the: slight flexi bility of the wire-netting in one direction, namely, in the direction at right angles to the line of direction of the ridges, serves to readily permit the body of concrete, together with the reinforcing sheet to conform to the shape of the groundupon which the reinforced slab is built.

In order to prevent the slab 4, from sliding downwardly out of place, I attach to the upper end of each cables 9, which are in turn secured to the anchorages 10, the ground.

. The protective reinforced slab 5, which placed. upon the river bed beneath the, water is constructed in the same manner as the slab 4:, already described, in so far as the wirenetting and the concrete is concerned. It is,

however, provided with an exterior cover of to give the best rein together in any well known placed in r textile fabric in order to protect the concrete while in plastic condition, from the action of thewater in which the slab is deposited, and until the concrete hardens. These slabs 5, are each provided with a reinforcing sheet of bent or deformed wire-netting 11, the same as the wire-netting 6, previously described.- In making this slab,a series of strips 12, such for instance as willow boughs, are first placed in parallel order upon the flexible metallic apron 18, which rests upon a platform or float 14:, and over these strips is laid a piece of textile fabric 15, such for instance as burlap. Then the sheet of bent wire-netting 11, is placed upon the fabric, and a series of tie-wires 16, are secured to the flexible strips 12, on the bottom and are brought up through the fabric and through the wire-netting andare so positioned as to extend through the body of concrete subsequently placed upon the wire-netting. The concrete 'l7,-is then placed upon the wirenetting and is packed down into a solid body right angles to each other, are incorporated in the body of the slab as it isbuilt up and the ends of these cables protrude at the edges of the slab in pairs ,as indicated in Fig. 7. These cables may be used forthe purpose of dragging the slab into position, and also for the purpose of anchoring it, as well as tying itto the adjacent edges of the abutting slabs. The fabric 15, prevents the water from washing away the cemental materialof the slab while in plastic condition'and keeps the slab in shape. The

strips 12 and 19, hold thefabric in place and 7 also protect the plasticmaterial when the slab is slid on the apron.

The-projecting edge 18, of the bent wirenetting is utilized for connecting the sheets of wire-netting with a similar sheet of the netting of the adjacent slab lying above on the bank of the river, as indicated in Figs. 4:, 5 and 9, wherein the extension 18, of the slab which is placed upon the river bed, is interlocked with the lower end of the wirenetting of one of the slabs 4, which is subsequently built up upon the sloping ground above the water level.

The flexible apron 13, upon which the slab 5, is constructed, is made of a suitable metal and with suiiicient flexibility. to readily bend under the weight of the superimposed slab when the apron with the slab also provide at each side of the line of movement of the apron 13, a row of vertical rollers 24, which keep the apron in place as it' is slid off the float and guides it in its movement.

After the slab 5, is formed upon the apron 13, on the float and is to be launched and dropped into its proper position on the bed of the river, the float is drawn up toward the bank with the forward end of the newly formed slab nearest the bank, whereupon the apron is engaged by the hook a5, and drawn upon, and as it leaves the float it is directed on to thebed of the river near the water line so that its forward end rests upon the bed at about the point of the water line. With the end of the apron held fast at this point on the bank, the float is then drawn gradually away from the bank by means of suitable cables 26, as indicated in Fig. 9 and the weight of the slab bends the apron gradually downwardly on to the bed of the river.

When the float has been withdrawn from beneath the greater part of the apron, so as to leave one end still upon the float, the relative movement of the two terminates, and then the float with the apron move together so that the apron is gradually withdrawn r from beneath the plastic slab, which finally comes to rest in the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 9. This slab being then in plastic condition, readily conforms to the contour of the surface of the river bed, and its jacket of textile fabric protects the ma terial of the slab from the wateruntil such material has hardened. When the slab is thus deposited upon the river bed, theapron 13, is drawn upon the deck of the float by means of cables 27 and 28, which are connected with the winding-shaft 29, which is mounted upon one end of the float and is provided at its opposite ends with suitable hand-operated gearing 30 and 31, for winding the cable upon the shaft.

In cases where it is necessary to make the slabs 5, of greater length than can be accommodated by the particular float and apron in use, I first build one of the slabs 5, and start to launch it into position, as indicated in Fig. 9 and when the apron 13, has been partly withdrawn from. beneath the completed slab, I stop the operation and place upon the exposed part of the apron a new section of bent wire-netting 32, and connect its forward end with the rear end of the wire-netting contained in the newly formed slab. I then fill in the concrete on the new section of wirenetting and complete it, whereupon the withdrawal of the apron from beneath the slab is proceeded with.

By virtue of the flexible apron 13,,being projected into the water with the plastic slab upon it, the slab itself is prevented from bending or breaking as might otherwise be the case, though of course these slabs may be launched without the use of the apron. I, however, prefer to use the apron, as it provides a safe means of depositing the plastic slab upon the river bed, and at the same time enables me to lengthen the slab in cases where it is necessary, as above stated.

It will be noted that the bent wire-netting, in addition to acting as a reinforcing trussing member, also acts to hold the concrete in place while plastic and until it hardens, thereby insuring a perfect reinforcing covering for the surface upon which the slab is deposited.

In a reinforced concrete slab in which the reinforcing element lies in the plane of the midsection or neutral axis, such reinforcing element is subjected to bending moments and accordingly it possesses comparatively little strength in resisting strains or stress. It will be noted, that in my improved construction, I incorporate the reinforcing element in the slab in such a position relative to the neutral aXis that it is free from bending moments and becomes a compressionor tension element, or both, thereby providing increased reinforcing strength.

The wire-netting shown in several of the figures has a rectangular shaped mesh, but in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the mesh is of a well known triangular shape. This steel wire-netting having the triangular mesh provides a very strong trussing structure when incorporated in the body of concrete, and it of course acts as a receptacle or form in retaining the plastic concrete in place during the hardening process. This particular wire mesh is a well known commodity on the market and I prefer to use it in many cases.

In using wire-netting either of a triangular or rectangular mesh, I bend the netting into a series of parallel ridges, each of which consists of a short vertical member or leg 7 b and a long oblique leg 7 and preferably the obliquemernber is approximately three times the length of the vertical or short member. For example, if the short leg is four inches, the long one is twelve, and in using such a proportion with a triangular mesh netting, the mesh is an equilateral triangle having its sides about four inches long. The short leg is normal to the upper and under surfaces of the slab and it accordingly serves as-an effective barrier or retainer for the plastic material as well as a reinforcing element when the plastlc ma:-

' terial has hardened. This short leg or stretchis also used as a gage bymeans of which the thickness of the completed slab may be predetermined, the plastic cemental material being made to cover both the upper and lower ends of the short leg to a per endof one short leg to the lower end of I the adjacent short leg provides a highly eflicient reinforcing element. The bends in the netting herein shown are symmetrical and vthey are alike upon each side of the neutral axls. a c

In Fig. 10 I show apparatus by means of which the plastic slab 5, may be built up 7 and then deposited upon the river bed at the edge of the water without the use of a float." In this apparatus I use a set of skids '33, which are suitably spaced from each other and theirinner ends rest upon the em- "bank ment, while their outer ends project out 7 over the water, and they are connected at their outer ends each with a supporting cable 35, the other end of which is made fast toa fixed point 36, on the shore. WVhen the skids are placed in this position, an apron 87, is laid across the lskids and constitutes a platform upon which the slab 5, is then built. When a slab is completed, the sus taining cables 35, are slowly let out so'as to lower their outer ends into the. water and until theyrrest upon the bed of the river. Then these cables being released, the skids are in turn withdrawn by means of suitable tackle comprising a hook 38, and a cable 39,

which is connected with a Windlass 40,

i the pins 43, are removed and a hook which is made fast to a convenient point on the shore. VVhenthe skids are thus with drawn, the apron or shield 37, then rests upon the river bed with the slab 5, upon the apron, Then the hook 38, is connected with v the apron by means of the'perforation tl therein, and the apron is'gradually with drawn from beneath the slab, thus leaving it s V v I adapted for coverings for protecting river directly upon the river. bed.

Each skid at its mner end is formed with a socket or perforation 42, through which a long pin 43, is driven into the ground to temporarily hold the end of the skid in place. When the'skidsare to be removed, 38 is inserted in the socket42. i

From the foregoing descriptionit'will bereadily understood that by my improved methodlarge areas of ground can be covr' ered with this particular liningor revete.

ment'and can: be made continuous in one 7 direction and without joints between the individual slabs, if desired. It will also be noted that steep inclines, as well as level surfaces, may be economically provided with this particular revetment, without necessitating the use of any of the'usual forms.

My improvements, while particularly ap plicable to the waterside slope of a. river or other body of water, may be used in other. places with great advantage. For example,

it may be used in roadway construction, and

insuch use th metal folds may appear on the surface and thereby serve as a protective means for the cemental material and pre-' vent trituration caused by the wheels of vehicles on the roadway, or by floating ice and logs. r c

. As above stated, I prefer to use wire-net ting having a triangular mesh instead of a V rectangular mesh, one reason for this preference be ng that the trlangulargmesh con tains a multiplicity of elements which are brought into effective service. Referring,

for example, to Fig. 3,.in which there. is

' shown the bent wire-netting having the triangular mesh, the long member 7 of the bend, which may be considered as one foot in length, contains groups of polygons of six triangular elements, which triangles are indicated at a, b, a, d, 6, and j", which elements are under tension when the stretch of netting is under stress; In the short memher .7, of the bend, which is'about one third the length of the long member, there are also a multiplicity of elements, which by reason oftheir diagonal disposition act as compression and tension members, when this member is subjectedvto a vertical strain,

as will be understood particularly from Figs.& and 8. One'of theimportant advantages of using my peculiar form of corrugatednetting is that restores'itself to normal shape after being-bent in sliding the ,slab into place from an incline.

-I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the particular. construct1on of the various d fferent parts as herein' shown, as it is evident that modifications may be made in the several different parts without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention. V v

My improvements are particularly well emb'ankments and fsubaqueous "surfaces from erosion. haveinstalled on river-beds are now as firm as rocklbed and show. no signs of deterioration after a long period of use beneath the water. 7 It is alsoian advantage in some 7 am enabled to safely transfer the plastic The plastic slabs which I slab to the place where it is to be deposited and to bend the slab without liability of the reinforcement breaking or buckling and protruding through the slab. This is important as it prevents the slab from being disrupted or mutilated while being laid in place and this is particularly advantageous in subaqueous Work. It will also be noted that while I lay the slab when in very plastic and flexible condition, nevertheless the water in which it is submerged does not in any way affect its integrity or tend to disintegrate the structure,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus for laying a protective covering upon the surface to be protected, the combination of a reciprocating apron for receiving and supporting the covering, a suitable support for said apron, means for sliding said apron and projecting it with its superimposed covering toward the surface upon which the covering is to be deposited, and means for drawing back the apron from beneath the covering and gradually depositing the same on said surface.

2. In apparatus for laying a. protective covering upon the surface to be protected, the combination of a movable flexible apron for receiving and supporting the covering and a suitable support for said apron, means for moving said apron with its superimposed covering to deposit the same on the surface to be protected, and means for drawing back the apron from beneath the covering and gradually depositing the same 011 said surface.

3. In apparatus for laying a protective covering upon the surface to be protected, the combination of a sliding apron for receiving and supporting the covering, a suitable support for saidapron, means for sliding said apron and projecting it with its superimposed covering toward the surface upon which the covering is to be deposited, and means for drawing back the apron partly from beneaththe covering and then withdrawing the apron-support and apron together so as to gradually deposit the covering on said surface.

4:. In apparatus for laying a protective covering upon the surface to be protected, the combination of a reciprocating apron for receiving and supporting the covering, a suitable support for said apron, lateral guides for the apron, means for sliding said apron and projecting it with its superimposed covering toward the surface upon whieh the coveringis to be deposited, and means for drawing back the apron from beneath the covering and gradually depositing the same on said surface.

5. In apparatus for laying a protective covering upon the surface to be protected, the combination of a reciprocating apron for receiving and supporting the covering, a suitable support for said apron, means for sliding said apron and projecting it with its superimposed covering toward the surface upon which the covering is to be deposited, and means for drawing back the apron partly from beneath the covering and gradually depositing it on said surface for the construction of a second unit covering to be attached to the rear end of said first mentioned unit, thus providing for a continuous covering of indefinite length.

6. In apparatus for laying a protective covering upon the surface to be protected, the combination of a movable platform or support, traveling mechanism mounted on said platform and having relative movement thereon, and adapted to have constructed directly on said mechanism a flexible plastic reinforced protective covering, means for causing said mechanism to travel forwardly with the superimposed covering thereon and directing the same toward the surface on which the covering is to be deposited and depositing the forward part upon said surface for the construction of a second unit covering to be attached to the first unit thus providing for a continuous covering of indefinite length.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER CRAWFORD CHENOWETH.

Witnesses WILLIS FOWLER, FRANK Lunwrs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

